Underwater discovery: glimpse of 1850s trains

[Still Waters]

The emerald-colored waters off Long Branch, N.J., were "gloomy and spooky" as Dan Lieb swam toward the two hulking silhouettes, sitting upright and side by side about 90 feet down.

The objects were heavily encrusted with marine life, but Lieb recognized the unmistakable lines, the wheels and boilers of identical locomotives, 160 years after they fell or were cast overboard.

"It looked like they were steaming across the bottom in a race," said Lieb, 56, of Neptune, Monmouth County. "You could imagine them on tracks at a station with steam coming out of the valves, and people and luggage on the platform."

http://articles.phil...w-jersey-museum

[RockabyeBillie]

Missing links in locomotive history, he says. What a great find!

[Space Commander Travis]

quite possibly built in Britain and lost, or jettisoned, overboard while they were being delivered.

[+OverSword]

I wish there had been better/more pictures.

[Keel M.]

Part of the artificial reef system?

[Ealdwita]

Typical. You wait 160 years for a train then two of the buggers turn up together!

Edited February 21, 2013 by ealdwita